Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. I have a pet leo gecko (first one ever), and I've had it for 2 months. A little while ago, I noticed something weird. Its head is cocked a little, banked to the right. It also walks in circles going right. Sometimes larger ones, but sometimes very small ones. When it walks in small circles, it'll do a whole bunch of them until it finally end up in a hiding hole. It's like it can't turn left at all. I'm really concerned.

Also, I don't think I've been feeding it properly. I've been reading on these forums and webpages that people put crickets in the tank for 15-30 mins, then take out what's not eaten. What I do, is put 4 or 5 crickets in at the start of night, and leave it like that. If some weren't eaten, then I'd just I'd just leave them in there. I know now not to do that, cause they can bother the gecko if they get hungry. Thing is, I've only seen the gecko eat a cricket 4 times and it seems like it only eats at night time. If I only leave the crickets in there for 30 mins, it won't eat anything. That's why I stopped powdering the crickets. The calcium rubs off before they get eaten. I'm trying the dish of calcium, now. All the gecko does is just sit in it's hiding hole. Never goes out. If it does, it's for a minute at a time, only during night time. I rarely ever see it out of the hole. What am I supposed to do for feeding and about it nover coming out and walking around?

I rescued/adopted a gecko from Petco a few weeks ago with the same problem, head cocked to one side, and she does tend to walk in circles. Offer her a dish of mealies in calcium powder at all times, they will be easier for her to catch. She should be okay and make a good pet, just remember she can NEVER be bred, should you ever want to move beyond keeping to breeding.

Here is a pic of mine, named "Twink"

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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

Mine has the same problem. Is yours growing? Mine grew rapidly at first but her condition seems to be progressing.

She is almost a year old, but is smaller than some of my 3 month olds (but she is not excessively thin).

She has trouble feeding herself. I have to kill her mealie, pick her up and slide the mealie against her mouth, she then opens wide and lets me put it in. This is not force feeding because she sits unrestrained in my hand while I'm doing this.

Recently she has started experiencing episodes similar to seizures where one leg will jerk uncontrollabley.

Her eyes appear abnormally sunken and her tail although original, ends in a blunt tip; these are the only physical abnormalities I've noted and they are both rather subtle.

-Alice

I don't know if the deformity will shorten its life or not, or if there are other unseen deformities. This is a rescue adoption of an unwanted animal, so I just intend to provide it with a comfortable life for as long as it lives. This one lost a tail, so it is regenerating that. I haven't noticed really if it has grown much or not. But it seems to be doing okay so far.
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

Regarding the feeding part, you could try a little dish of mealworms. They won't hop around the tank or bother the gecko.
geckoGirlsMom

Well, good to know that it's not fatal. Talked to the pet store owner and he said he might have hit it head, jostling something in there. He also gave me some superworms to try out, to see if it feeds on that. Is it ok to mainly give a gecko mealworms? Cause I know they're higher in fat and all that.

Mealworms are fine, but you should feed both crickets and mealworms, because it'll be much more healthier to your leo. Mealworms also have high chitin, so feeding them excessively to your pet can result in digestion problems.

Tim

Mainly or even all mealworms is fine, as long as you gutload your mealworms properly. The longevity records for captive leos have been reached with leos fed exclusively mealworms. They will not cause any problems for an otherwise healthy leo. I feed primarily mealworms, but I like to feed crickets, supers, silkies etc. at least once or twice a week for variety. It is not neccessary to do so though. One advantage of mealworms to your gecko is that they are a relatively "clean" food source, whereas crickets often carry pinworms and roundworms and can occassionally carry other diseases as well.
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

i have heard of reptiles that have been exposed to certain chemicals especially ones used to prevent mites causing neurological problems if not used correctly. some animal lose the ability to walk or slither right,some have seizures and some just zone out. most animals with these neurolgical symptoms are egenrally caused my inproperly used chemicals, but overheating,overdoaing of minerals or vitamins or some viral and bacterial illness's can have the same results. it's really hard to find out ecatly whats wrong without first going to a vet and getting the animal checked out. if he doesnt find anything physically wrong you may have to just rule out what it may or may not be,basically a shot in the dark and wont ever really know. but if the vet finds something wrong with it the animals can be treated for a cured alot of the time. just my opinion of course
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-robin struck (new married name)
Geckoheads And Geeks

The neurological symptoms you describe can be caused by many things. From what you say, it started after you got the gecko so it does not sound like a birth defect. I went through a year of such symptoms with my leo. In her case, an autopsy confirmed that the neurological symptoms were caused by liver failure and a consequent buildup of poisons in her system. From the research I did at university libraries during that time, the symptoms you describe can be caused by bacteria, parasites, protozoa, metabolic disorders, exposures to chemicals, head trauma, among the possible causes. I never came across any references to birth defects in the literature, but I suppose it is a possibility. Your gecko may simply have a inner ear or other kind of infection causing the circling, which is potentially curable by antibiotics. It may have a vitamin B deficiency, which can be helped by a vitamin injection, and so on. You might want to have it checked by a qualified herp vet in case it can be helped. My gecko was treated and was well for several months. Unfortunately she became ill again, couldn't eat even when hand fed, and was euthanized. Someone who used to post on this forum had her gecko treated, and he recovered completely. I hope your gecko will be okay.

A friend brought up that maybe it's blind. I really hope not, but it would make sense. When I pick it up, and it's walking around in my hand, it'll often walk to the edge and keep reaching out its feet, trying to grab something to walk on. Also, it bumps its face alot when walking. Shows no interest in food when I put it right at its face. Eyes don't look cloudy, incase anyone wants to know. Going to try and find a vet, tomorrow.